Women’s Soccer Takes to European Fields

Published: March 11, 2010

Maddie Dugan ’13 is having just as much fun exploring “the floating
city” as she is competing against nationally ranked European soccer
teams.

“So far, my favorite has been Venice, Italy, mainly
because of the sheer beauty of it,” said Dugan, who is posting updates
about the experience on the
UT Sports Blog
.
“Also, I feel like I could have walked through the floating city for
days and still would've found different shops I didn't see before,
different foods to try, or back alleyways to explore.”

Dugan and
the rest of The University of Tampa Women’s Soccer team flew to Europe
for spring break with head coach Gerry Lucey, a first time trip for
program.

"This trip allows the team to compete against quality
European teams, offering top notch technical skills and fundamentals,"
said Tom Kolbe, UT's sports information director. "It also enhances the
student-athlete experience by providing an opportunity to witness
European culture and history."

Aside from taking in the sights
of Italy, Slovenia and Austria, the women are playing some challenging
teams, including the Italian Division 2 national women’s team and the
Slovenian national championship team which is a part of the Union of
European Football Associations (UEFA) Women's Champion League.

“Tuesday
night our game went really well against the Slovenian six-year national
champions, despite the 26 degree weather, snow and painfully
over-pumped balls in the mountains of Slovenia,” Dugan blogged.
“Finally, with about 10 minutes left in the second half, Luana Miessa
hit a perfect shot over the keeper’s head from outside the 18-yard line.
Though we ended the game with a tie score, our team really showed our
ability to face adversity and continue to improve against formidable
foreign opponents.”

Dugan said there are some differences
between European play and American play, citing more drama on the
European side and skilled ball handling. Teammate Brittan Spence ’12
noted that Europeans play a faster paced, more technical game.

Dugan,
an entrepreneurship major, said the experience has given the team a
boost of confidence and has shown her what a strong force the team can
be. The trip has also brought the teammates closer together.

“One
of the nicest things about this trip has been the team bonding
experiences,” Dugan posted on her blog. “Though we might get frustrated
with each other at times, I truly feel like all of us have become much
closer with each other over the last few days.”